Private School News

Prior Park Production of Oklahoma!

Over sixty Prior Park students auditioned for the production of Oklahoma!, with the successful young actors now keen to out-perform all other Prior Spring musicals. Richard Wells, director commented: “We have had some fantastic productions over the years and Oklahoma!, with its familiar, rousing songs, will engage and enthral our audiences this week. Four evening performances and a matinee for other schools on Thursday have been planned. This requires tremendous effort from our young stars, coupled with their normal school day”. He added “It is a wonderful family musical treat and three nights are already sold out”. The show includes songs such as the opener ‘Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’, followed by ‘The Surrey with the Fringe on Top’, ‘People Will Say We’re in Love’, ‘Many a New Day’, ‘I Cain’t Say No’ and the final rousing chorus of ‘Oklahoma’.

Oklahoma! broke all Broadway box office records when it opened in 1943 and changed stage musicals by telling an emotional story through music, lyrics and dance as never before. It was the first collaboration between the legendary team, Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is set in the American West’s Indian territory, in the early 1900s, against a background of conflict between farmers and cattlemen. The tale is of Laurey and the two rivals for her affections: Curly (a cowboy) and Jud (the hired farmhand).